Nobody Wins
by Gothic984
Summary: Gail tries to deal with her current condition, while Lucas confronts Caleb on his strange feelings.
1. Chapter 1

I do not own any American Gothic characters, this is a work of fan fiction. This story is a continuation of my previous stories Emotion, Old Friends, Family, Difficult Decisions, Reflection, Spirit, Acceptance, Whole Again, Homecoming, Oh Father, Birthday Surprises, Misguided Feelings, New Year, Picture Perfect, Kinship, Big River, Sunday Morning Coming Down, To Beat The Devil, Best Of All Possible Worlds, Little Girl Lost, Wicked Games, Monster Bash and It Takes Two To Tango.

It was a cold cloudy December morning in Trinity South Carolina, a fine rain fell and covered the gardens with a wet sheen. The wind blew strong against the leafless trees,, causing the long branches to scratch against nearby windows. The strong wind had founds it's way into the mansion through an open window and curtains in the upstairs bedroom blew away from the open window, while Gail Emory lay uncomfortably on her back in the large oak bed.

Gail had been waking up on and off all night, it was difficult to find a comfortable position due to her large stomach and the pressure she felt whilst laying on her back was painful to say the least. As if sensing her discomfort, Lucas gently pushed her onto her side and wrapped his arm around her. Gail smiled at his subconscious effort to ease her pain and closed her eyes, in an attempt to fall back asleep.

Lucas sensed his companion was awake and began to stroke her large stomach tenderly, he had not had the chance to experience this type of closeness to his unborn child when Judith was pregnant with Caleb and he was thankful that Gail had put aside her ill feelings towards him, to allow him to experience this pregnancy with her. They had their ups and downs at the beginning, which caused no end of disruption in his usually controlled day to day life; however, unlike Judith, Gail had embraced everything that she had felt coming from their child and found a way to accept it all, including the bad.

Gail was in the last trimester of her pregnancy and judging by the size of her, his boy was fully grown and nearly ready to break free. The thought of her carrying his boy safely caused a stir within him and he felt his manhood harden. He trailed his hands from her stomach to her hips and lifted her short nightdress, before pressing himself gently against her.

'Good morning to you too' Gail smiled and allowed him to lift her leg over his, in an attempt to open her up for him. She had previously thought she would not want to be touched in her current state; however, her sexual appetite had increased significantly and she could not get enough of Lucas these days, no matter how much she tried to resist.

Lucas nuzzled his head into her neck and inhaled her scent, he loved how ready she always was for him these days and pushed his hard manhood inside of her effortlessly. He let out a loud moan when he felt her close in around him and pushed himself in deeper. 'I could get used to this' he whispered playfully and nipped at her neck.

Gail embraced the pleasure that was flowing threw her with each gentle thrust, the slower he went the deeper he pushed inside her and all she wanted to do was to plead for him not to stop. Something within her stirred and she bit her lip to stop from pleading, she would not show herself as weak even if she wanted nothing more than to be with him and she tried hard to regain control of her senses.

Lucas sensed her desire so ensured his movements remained slow and steady, he had noticed a change in her the past few weeks and she had softened around him. He knew she was enjoying this act as much as he was; therefore, he would not rush and would endure the nearly unbearable pleasure he was feeling with each deep thrust. The deeper he pushed, the more he wanted to bite down hard on her neck and taste her sweet blood on his lips. It had been a while since he felt this unwavering, dark craving to taste her and it was taking all of his strength to withstand the urge.

Gail sensed his conflict and dug her nails in the hand he had placed on her hip, she could not resist calling out when the pleasure got too much and smiled when he quickened the pace. It did not take long for her climax to build within her and she forced her head in the pillow to stifle her yell, then felt him explode within her and bite down hard on her shoulder. She lay silent for a few moments while Lucas rested his head on her shoulder and softly kissed her broken skin, then let out a sharp breath when she heard a scratching sound on the bedroom door.

Lucas let out a small laugh, when he sensed her disappointment and gently stroked his fingers down her bare arm. 'I think we may have forgotten about my other house guest' he smiled.

'Seen as he's your house guest, you can see to him' she sighed and pulled the covers up over her head, so she could blank out the intrusion.

Lucas laughed and shook his head, then got out of the bed and reached for his robe. Before he had chance to inspect the sound, the bedroom door swung open and Rocky came bouncing in. The dog ran straight past him and jumped on the bed to be with his master.

Caleb popped his head around the door and looked towards the bed, where Rocky was trying frantically to get under the covers to be with Gail. He glanced towards Lucas with an apologetic look and let out a small laugh when Lucas appeared to find this intrusion amusing.

'Fine!' Gail snapped and pulled the cover down far enough that Rocky could lick her cheek, this was not how she had anticipated her morning wake up to be; however, she could not help but laugh at the situation.

'Sorry' Caleb apologised.

Gail pulled herself to a seated position and stared at Lucas disapprovingly. 'It's not you who should be sorry...Go get ready for school, I'll drop you in on the way to my office. We don't want you being late for Miss Coombs' first day back'

Caleb glanced at Lucas, who signaled for him not to try arguing and left the room to start getting ready.

'You're good at this parentin' gig' he smiled.

'It's a good job one of us is' she scolded and attempted to push Rocky off, to allow her to head for a shower.

Lucas shook his head and held out a hand, to assist her in getting up. 'We all have our strengths Darlin'. Now, I'd much rather you not go into work in your condition but seen as I know you well enough to know that's not gonna be an option, why don't I accompany you to the bathroom and I'll show you my strengths?' he asked seductively.

Gail accepted his assistance and rolled her eyes at his comment. 'I doubt you'd accept no for an answer either way' she sighed and signaled for him to follow her to the bathroom, while Rocky lay comfortably on the bed.

* * *

Merlyn sat at the small dining room table drinking a herbal tea, while waiting for Abe to get ready for work. Gail had previously resided here with Abe for several months; however, she had decided it was time she withdrew her company and was starting to stay elsewhere twice a week. Both Merlyn and Gail were worried that Abe had become dependent on her presence in his home every night, so Merlyn had chosen to make an excuse to stay with him once a week to ensure he was alright.

Merlyn liked it at Abe's residence, it had a quaint southern charm and there was no darkness here which was unusual for this town. Although Abe appeared good, she had always suspected it was some sort of cover as he was so close with Lucas; however, the more time she spent here, the more she realised that Lucas allowed the man to keep a certain purity that he managed to drain out of most of the residents in this town.

It appeared to her that Lucas had calmed his nuisance ways, as the end of Gail's pregnancy drew near. If he had been tormenting innocent souls, then he kept it well hidden; however, she was not stupid enough to believe he had changed and suspected this was all an act for Gail. A Zebra cannot change it's stripes and any goodness Lucas tried to portray was clearly to ensure Gail remained in line.

'That's a little judgmental Missy...what did I ever do to hurt you?' Lucas asked sarcastically, as he leaned against the kitchen door.

'You raped and killed my mother Lucas' she snapped, then stood up and took her mug to the sink.

Lucas smiled devilishly as he approached Merlyn, when she turned around he pinned her gently to the sink with his body and inhaled her scent. 'Now, now Merlyn Ann, you don't what you witnessed at that sweet and tender young age. What you thought was an act of evil seen through misguided eyes, could have easily been an act of love and as for me killing your momma...hell Missy, good luck in findin' any evidence to support that accusation'

Merlyn could see the malice in his eyes and was fully aware her usual guardian was nowhere in sight.

'What's wrong Merlyn Ann...ain't got Gail around to protect you?' Lucas whispered.

'If you touch me...' Merlyn started.

'I'm not convinced she'll care either way, givin' that she's got her hands full with my boys...You should've stayed dead Merlyn Ann' Lucas stated and raised his hand to her neck.

Merlyn felt some invisible force take over her and was frozen, she could not even scream. As his hand closed around her neck, she felt panic begin to set in and was powerless to stop him. Suddenly, a loud growl came from the corner of the kitchen and she felt a wave of hope flow through her. Gideon stalked towards them with his teeth bared, focusing all of his attention on Lucas.

Lucas smiled and tightened his grip slightly, 'You think I'd really be stupid enough to hurt you? or that Gail would completely abandon her watch of you?...You need to learn to smile and trust in the man with the star' he laughed and released his hold on her.

Merlyn rushed to the other side of the kitchen and stared at Lucas suspiciously, trying to figure out whether this was some sort of sick joke or if his attempt to hurt her had been foiled.

'If this had been serious Darlin', that mutt would've taken my hand off by now...' Lucas said reading her mind, then leaned down to Gideon and risked a stroke to prove his point. '...Now where's my old friend?'

Merlyn took a deep breath and shook her head, she truly hated this man and the grip he had on her family.

'Who you callin' old boy?' Abe scolded, as he strained to walk into the kitchen and shot Merlyn a curious glance.

Merlyn forced a reassuring smile, knowing she should not dare accuse Lucas of something with the sadistic mood he was in and went to make Abe a coffee.

Lucas watched triumphantly as Merlyn proved that she could behave, then placed an arm around her shoulder and pulled her close to him. 'I don't know who you think you're kiddin' but you ain't gettin' any younger ol' man. Now, if you're about done powderin' your nose, go grab your jacket...I'm treatin' you two fine people to some breakfast'

Merlyn tried to push his arm off her; however, ceased the struggle when it was evident his grip was too tight. 'We gotta go the Store, we're late' she said to Abe, hoping he would see sense.

Abe laughed and shook his head, he knew she did not like Lucas; however, if the girl was now part of the family, she would have to get used to his intrusive ways. 'The Store'll still be there when we get back...Come on friend, I ain't spend any quality time with you in what seems like an age'

Lucas smiled and pulled Merlyn gently out of the kitchen. 'It'll be just like old times' he said and shot her a mischievous wink.

* * *

Selena Coombs stepped out of her yellow sports car and took a deep breath, then started walking towards the entrance of the Elementary School. She had been suspended for over a month, due to the accusations set out against her and was surprisingly nervous about returning to her role.

The gossiping biddies had been in full force over the past month and she knew who she had to blame for that. This situation had resulted in her having to hide away in her home, until she absolutely had to leave and face them.

'Well you served as a welcome distraction to my condition, I suppose I should thank you for that' Gail said smugly, as she met Selena at the entrance.

Selena regarded the heavily pregnant woman with utter resentment and shook her head. Not only had she managed to get her suspended, she had somehow managed to convince her to beat Billy's sexual partner to death and pinned two murders on her. Selena still did not remember what had happened that night and was completely unaware of the relations Billy had with the female Bartender; however, what she did remember was waking up next to the two dead bodies and Lucas having to begrudgingly help cover it up.

'I'd have thought you'd be happy to be back Miss Coombs, but you appear angry...Is there something you want to say to me?' Gail asked sweetly, willing Selena to challenge her.

Selena caught a glimpse of mischief in Gail's eyes and thought better of challenging her. 'What do you need Gail?' she asked bitterly.

'Nothing from you' she laughed.

'Oh, so this is just a welcome back visit' Selena asked sarcastically.

Gails face turned serious and she took a few steps towards Selena. 'What this is, is a piece of advice...Stay away from my family, leave my cousin alone and everything will run smoothly'

Selena resented the fact that this woman believed she could threaten her. 'And if I don't?' she challenged defiantly.

'Truthfully, it's more fun for me if you don't...Bring it on Teacher' Gail laughed, then walked towards her car.

Selena watched Gail leave and felt unease begin to rise within her. She did not understand how Gail had done what she had; however, she knew she should be careful and would not give her an excuse to target her for now.

-To be continued-


	2. Chapter 2

Merlyn sat with her chin in her hand staring out of the large diner window, as her elbow rested on the table. She could not believe she was entertaining this breakfast; however, here she was in the company of Lucas Buck, waiting for their breakfast order to be brought to the table. If you would have told her a year ago that she would be playing happy family with Lucas, she would have never believed it. This whole situation was unnerving.

Merlyn attempted to tune out what Lucas and Abe were discussing; however, Lucas' continuous laughter was piercing through her guard and it was easy to see how close these two really were.

'You're tellin' me that Doc down on Chesterfield told you to give up work due to your health? He's got more balls than I have...' Lucas laughed, '...So, what did you say?'

'I told him I'd jam my walkin' stick where the sun don't shine if he let a word of that diagnosis get down to my next of kin' Abe laughed.

'Does Gail know she has that honour?' Lucas asked and took a sip of his coffee.

'Nah, she don't need to worry about anythin' like that...Speakin' of my Rosie, what are your plans here?' Abe asked curiously.

Merlyn's ears perked up at the mention of Gail and she tried not to make her eavesdropping obvious.

'You're gonna put me on the spot like that friend? Fine...' Lucas sighed and sat back in the booth, '...I ain't got any plans just yet, as your little angel is too damn stubborn to listen to reason'

Abe let out a loud laugh and nodded. 'Atta girl...She's certainly got the Emory gene, good luck gettin' past that'

'Well thanks alot...' Lucas said sarcastically and shook his head, '...I get that family is stubborn, hell her daddy was a thorn in my side for years, but she is somethin' else. You can argue about her best interests until you're blue in the face and if it doesn't fit into her neat little routine, she won't even entertain it...Tryin' to convince her to do somethin' is like banging your head against a brick wall'

Merlyn could not control her laughter, then held her hand to her mouth when she realised she had been caught listening in.

'Somethin' funny Missy?' Lucas asked irritated.

Merlyn glanced at Abe next to her, who indicated for her to speak up, then turned her attention to Lucas. 'You're the most pig-headed person I've ever met...' she said honestly, '...I mean, you can try and reason with you about somethin' so simple, but you won't ever take it in unless it's a part of your sick game'

'What's your point?' Lucas shrugged, unfazed by her statement.

Abe placed a hand on Merlyns knee to signal for her to remain quiet, then regarded his old friend honestly. 'My Rosie has a lot of her Momma in her, that coupled with the Emory curse of willfulness and you've got one tough cookie to crumble...What the girl's tryin' to say is you have a way of forcin' your will onto people and Rosie ain't much different than you, she just uses a softer approach. You two together trying to impose your will on each other is a recipe for disaster'

Lucas thought about what Abe was trying to get across and nodded, he was just as stubborn as Gail and she probably shared his frustration trying to get her way with him.

'You were close to the Emory's weren't you?' Merlyn asked, changing the subject.

Abe nodded and smiled. 'I was very close to Rosie's Granddaddy, which meant I had a responsibility to watch over the immediate family'

'So you knew Christine well?' she continued.

'I most certainly did, that woman was one of the kindest people I've ever met...she had a heart of gold and it's a shame what she had to go through' Abe sighed, as he remembered that horrible time.

'Did you know her family, like her sister Judith?' Merlyn asked and looked at her hands nervously.

Lucas was watching the exchange carefully and felt something inside of him stir at the mention of Judith. 'You don't need to be botherin' an old man with this type of questionin' Missy' he said sternly.

'Pipe down boy...' Abe warned and turned his full attention to her, '...I met Judith once or twice. Peter didn't really care for her, which meant Christine couldn't spend as much time with her as she would've liked...Christine loved her sister and would leave Rosie with me and my Brenda sometimes, so she could sneak off and meet up with Judith. They had a close bond, as family should have'

Merlyn smiled but felt a sadness when she thought back to her mother and her sister. She wished she would have been able to meet Christine when she was alive; however, the fire had taken her life a few years before she was born.

'If you require some dirt on Judith Temple, you should come to me Missy...I got to know her real well' Lucas goaded.

Merlyn tensed at the comment and was about to retaliate, when she felt Abe's hand squeeze her knee hard.

Abe did not know much about this young girl, accept that she was accepted into the family and she had a strong connection with his Rosie and Caleb. He did wonder why she was so interested in Christine and Judith; however, that was none of his business and he would not stand by while Lucas poked fun at the girls curiosity. 'You know a lot of woman real well friend...I wonder if that fact would interest my Rosie' Abe asked, feigning ignorance.

Lucas inhaled deeply and shook his head. 'I'm only teasin' ol' man, is it against the law for me to have some fun?'

'It is when this poor girl has been dragged here with us, against her will' Abe scolded and smiled when Merlyn relaxed.

Lucas let out a small laugh and took a sip of his coffee. 'No need to get offended people, I'm just jestin'...enough of this chit chat, I'm starvin'' he said and leaned back to allow the waitress to place their breakfast down on the table.

* * *

Ben Healy sat in his police cruiser parked outside of the Sheriffs Station, it was his first day back to work and all he could think about was his baby Izzy and Rita. He was glad to see Lucas' navy blue Crown Victoria was not parked out front, this indicated he may have a little time to gather his composure before Lucas undoubtedly got him involved in some cruel game.

Ben had been sat in his car for over 20 minutes, attempting to pluck up the courage to enter his place of work. He had not realised it would be so hard for him coming back to work after the baby was born and just wanted to go back home to his family. Ben knew this was not an option and forced himself to get out of the car. He took a few steps towards the Sheriff's Station when he felt an invisible presence pull him from behind, then turned around and smiled at the familiar face in the Coffee Shop opposite the Station.

Gail sat comfortably sipping a mug of hot chocolate, she had anticipated the difficulties Ben would experience returning to work and had been here waiting for him for over half an hour. Luckily she was patient and had savored each marshmallow that was included on her hot chocolate, while she watched Ben sit alone in his car for 20 minutes. As soon as the door opened, she allowed her darkness to roam free and alert her friend to her presence.

'How long have you been here?' Ben asked, when he finally made it to Gail and sat down.

'Probably about as long as you've been sat in that car, praying to be spared of your day job' Gail smiled and gave her hot chocolate a stir.

Ben glanced at the large cup of coffee in front of him and smiled. 'You knew I'd need this didn't you?' he asked, happy for her company.

'Well I guessed you'd need something a little stronger on your first day back, but I don't think the Sheriff would approve of that' she said sweetly and let out a small laugh.

Ben took a large gulp of his coffee and sat back in the chair. He admired Gail's radiant beauty and believed pregnancy suited her. 'Should you be out and about in your current state?' he asked concerned, knowing how uncomfortable it was for Rita at the end of her term.

Gail sighed and shook her head. 'I don't need a lecture from you as well Ben...I'm a grown woman and can take care of myself'

'Alright, alright...' Ben held his hands up in a surrendering manner, '...Seen as you are up and about, why don't you go visit Rita? She misses you and could use a friendly face today, seen as I've abandoned her'

Gail had been avoiding disturbing Ben and Rita, she knew drama followed her wherever she went and had not wanted them getting involved in anything with a new baby being present in their lives. 'OK, if it'll ease your mind and stop you from worrying, I'll pop in...You're not abandoning them you know? One of you has to work and if it was my choice, I'd rather be in your shoes and not having to be trapped at home with a newborn child' she forced a smile.

Ben could sense her unease and tried to get to the route of the problem. 'You know you need to start thinkin' about what your gonna do when that little guy comes, don't you?'

Gail laughed and shook her head. 'Not so little Ben and honestly, I'm trying not to think about this at all...if I do I think I'll either run away, or go insane'

Ben could not hide his concern and placed a protective hand on her arm. 'Did Lucas threaten you?' he asked, knowing what Lucas truly did to Judith Temple when Caleb was born.

Gail narrowed her eyes at Ben, confused as to why he would ask such a thing. 'Why would you think that? Is there something I should know?' she asked suspiciously.

Ben was about to say something, then thought better of it when he heard the familiar sound of the Crown Victoria's engine.

Gail sensed Ben had something to tell her and cursed when Lucas pulled up outside the Sheriff's Station. 'You better go' she said, not wanting to make him late on his first day back.

Ben nodded and started to walk away, then turned back towards her. 'Are you sure you'll be OK?' he asked, not wanting to leave her alone.

Gail stroked her stomach and smiled reassuringly. 'I'll be fine, just do me a favour and don't tell him I'm here...I could do with a bit of time to myself'

'My lips are sealed' Ben smiled, then headed towards the Sheriff's Station. He did not want to get involved with anything that could jeopardise his family; therefore, he would keep his mouth shut about what happened to Judith, however, he would keep a close watch on Gail to ensure an incident like that did not reoccur.

* * *

Caleb was sat under a large tree, with his lunch box open on the wooden table in front of him. Gail had surprised him with something called a Kindle when she dropped him off at school and he had been looking forward to exploring the strange device all morning. It occurred to him that this present was to distract him from his new brothers arrival and he could not deny that he felt a darkness stir within him whenever he thought about the baby; however, he was happy for the gift and he would deal with his other feelings at a later time.

Gail had explained that the device was a sort of Tablet, which allowed lots of books to be stored on it. She advised that she was not a fan of these electronic devices and would much rather read a proper book herself; however, the device was popular outside of Trinity and there was no reason why he should not be into what normal children liked.

Caleb was scrolling through the book library Gail had uploaded and came across William Golding's Lord Of The Flies, he recognised the title from a book of the same name in Lucas' Study and selected it as his next read. Before he had a chance to skip the index pages, he caught sight of Billy Peele in the corner of his eye. The man was pacing back and forth in the school car park, looking as though he wanted to do something. Caleb's curiosity spiked so he placed the Kindle securely in his backpack, picked up his lunch box and headed towards the car park.

Billy felt agitated and could not stop pacing, he did not fully understand what he was doing here and it was making him frustrated. All that happened was he ran in to Selena in the Grocery Store last night, they had gotten to talking and had caught up for what seemed like hours, then they went their separate ways. He did not know what he expected from her, a phone call or a message maybe; however, no contact was made and it resulted in him driving over here on his lunch hour.

Billy did not know what he intended to do, they had split up due to her unnatural obsession with her ex. He knew he was stupid for coming here like this, her ex just happened to be the only friend he had at the moment and crawling back to Selena would make him seem weak; however, here he was.

'Maybe you should just walk away then' Caleb said reading his mind, as he leaned against Billy's car. The fact that he understood what Billy was thinking was a shock; however, it intrigued him and he would happily explore this.

Billy turned around sharply and regarded Caleb suspiciously. Had he been talking out loud? He supposed he could have been, as he felt like he was going crazy. 'You think I should just leave?' Billy asked, disregarding the fact that this was just a young boy.

Caleb considered for a moment, he should not be getting involved with an adults problems; however, he liked Billy and did not want to see him suffer. 'Lucas taught me that there are two types of people in the world, ones who control and ones who are controlled...If you wait around here, you'd be in the latter I guess' he shrugged.

Billy narrowed his eyes at the boy and thought about what he had said. He had never been under the thumb in his life before he came to Trinity and he did not much like the person that he had become. 'You know what, you're right...How 'bout I treat you to a milkshake after school, as a thank you for preventing me from making a huge mistake?' Billy asked, knowing the boy is usually alone until Gail returned home from work.

Caleb nodded, it could not be any more boring than his usual after school activities. 'Alright, providin' you bring your rod so we can go fishin'' he smiled.

Billy laughed and shook his head. 'You drive a hard bargain, just like your daddy I suppose...You got a deal young Buck' Billy said sarcastically and signaled for him to go back inside the school yard. He had wasted enough time pining over Selena, he wanted to get away from here before she spotted him and he fell back into old habits.

-To be continued-


	3. Chapter 3

Gail walked through the door of the Buck Mansion and threw her bag on to the floor. Lucas was still at work and she had received a message from Billy informing her that he was taking Caleb fishing, so she decided to take advantage and enjoy some alone time.

It had been a while since Gail had been truly alone. With Abe, her dependents and Lucas, she was not given much time to herself. She could have gone home; however, she ran the risk of visitors like Matt or Miss Holt and she did not want that. The only place no one would dare visit was the Buck Mansion when it's Master was not at home.

Gail smiled at the silence around her and hung up her jacket, then started walking down a long corridor past the main entrance rooms. It had been some time since she had this place all to herself and she would not waste this opportunity by hanging around in the showrooms at the front of the house. She passed a few closed doors, then heard one further up the hall open. She glanced cautiously inside and smiled when she realised it was the Library she had discovered the previous year.

As she entered the room, she experienced a familiar feeling of being watched. She once thought that the constant sense of being monitored here would drive her crazy; however, she had come to accept the feeling and actually believed something may be watching over her in a protective manner. If it was not, well she had Rosemary to fell back on and she hated to think what things she could get up to if unleashed in here.

Gail let out a small laugh at the thought of her inner spirit running riot in this place and glanced at the books on the bookshelves, there was large index of books to choose from and she appeared drawn to a specific section hidden at the back of the room in a dark corner. Gail ran her fingers softly over the spine of the books, then selected one that had a familiar symbol on it. She could not remember where she had seen the symbol before; however, she knew it and this intrigued her.

Gail pulled the book out carefully, then left the room and headed to her desired location. When she reached the large bathroom, she wrapped the old book in a towel to protect it and turned on the hot water tap on the bath, then added some bath salts. She allowed the room to fill with steam then opened one of the vents, the room was buried deep in the property; however, the designer had made sure it was well vented, to ensure the build up of steam would not be too intrusive.

Gail sat on the edge of the bathtub, waiting for it to fill and stroked her stomach as she stared at the book wrapped in a towel. The fact that she could not place the symbol was bothering her and it was taking all of her willpower to leave the book where it was. She took off her clothes when the bath was filled and the water was at her desired temperature, then twisted her hair up in a high loose messy bun and carefully stepped into the bathtub. The hot water felt divine on her naked skin and the bath salts made her skin tingle, as she lay back and relaxed.

Gail inhaled deeply, then let the breath out slowly. She sank down into the deep bathtub and allowed the water to sooth her, she had so much going on recently that she had not had time to just think about herself and this alone time was enabling her to clear her mind. Her thoughts trailed towards her unborn child and she smiled, she had avoiding looking at any ultrasound pictures due to what she had witnessed the last time she was pregnant and just focused on how she felt. She did not want to be plagued with worry about what good or evil she might see from a machine, she trusted her child would be good and she would be here to ensure he was raised right.

She started to think about Lucas and how this was all going to play out, she knew he would not allow her to live in a separate place with his child and did not want to consider what he would try to do if she suggested that. Gail was not naive or blind, she knew Lucas all too well and could see right through him. The man was controlling and dominating, both qualities her father displayed so well behind closed doors. If she tried to dictate how things were going to be when the baby was born, she would have to face the similarities between her lover and her father; however, she was not ready to do that.

Gail allowed her mind to shift towards Caleb, she sensed resentment in him and she had not brought this up with Lucas. She was more than capable of protecting her child, now that she had accepted the weirdness that surrounded her family. She supposed it was only natural that Caleb might be jealous of a baby who could possibly take attention away from him; however, she sensed there was something much more cruel and unusual stirring within him, which caused her some concern.

Her life was so muddled up, it was hard for her to begin planning a way to sort it out. Even if she disregarded the strange boys in her life, she had her previously dead cousin to consider and one of her best friends apparent inappropriate feelings towards her. Matt would never make a move towards an underage girl; however, Merlyn had survived death, how innocent could she be? and how could Gail possibly even begin to raise her?

A scratch at the door brought her out of her reverie and Gideon popped his nose into the room. Gail reached for her watch and sighed when she realised she had been soaking in the bathtub for close to an hour. She shook her head in annoyance at how quick time flied when she was finally on her own, then carefully got out of the bathtub and reached for a towel.

'I suppose I better get dressed and head out before the Master returns' she said to Gideon and gave him an affectionate stroke, after she had wrapped a towel around her naked body.

The dog let out a quiet a whine and started to walk out of the bathroom. Gail let out the water in the bath and turned to follow her loyal companion, but not before picking up the curious book.

* * *

Billy leaned back in his chair and opened a can of beer, one beer would not harm him and he would still be sober enough to drive Caleb home once they had finished fishing. The boy had been quiet in the drive to Johnson's Bridge and he did not appear to be in a chatty mood now that they had gotten comfortable. He was trying to establish the best way to approach conversation when Caleb laughed.

'Something funny?' Billy asked confused.

Caleb smiled and shook his head. 'Nah, just that I'm Lucas Bucks son and you're some big shot Doctor who everyone respects, but we're both sat here as no-one else wants to be with us'

Billy regarded Caleb carefully, it must be hard with Gail being pregnant when he had finally started to spend some quality time with his father. 'People are happy to spend time with you Champ...me not so much'

Caleb shrugged and started into the water, Gail and Meryn had been avoiding him as they were unsure how he was doing with all of this and whether he could be trusted. The truth was he could feel the darkness brewing inside of him and he was struggling to keep it tamed. 'What happened with you and Gail?' Caleb asked as he tried focus on Billy, he remembered them being close; however, he had noticed Gail avoided him whenever she could these days.

Billy laughed and shook his head. 'That doesn't concern you'

'No it doesn't...' Lucas said, as he approached the pair with Ben in tow. '...What are you doin' here with him son, if you wanted to go somewhere after school I would've taken you'

'You mean after you asked Gail's permission?' Caleb smirked, feeling the darkness rise within him.

Lucas regarded his boy curiously, he could sense bitterness within him and it did not suit him. 'That ol' cousin of yours ain't the boss of me...' he started.

'Coulda fooled us...' Caleb interrupted and re-positioned his rod, '...It seems to me that you'd do anythin' to keep her obedient, with the condition she's in'

All men looked at Caleb, this was not his usual innocent banter and each of them appeared concerned.

'Are you alright?' Ben asked, remembering how Ben Jr was when Rita had the baby. Ben Jr had gotten cold and seemed to resent his little sister, it was strange how a younger sibling could cause such a change.

Lucas sensed Ben's thoughts and shot Caleb a warning glance. 'Why don't you come with me for a minute son, Ben can watch your rod' he said and signaled for Caleb to follow him.

Caleb just shrugged and followed Lucas towards his car. 'I ain't got the patience for no lecture, if that's what's comin''

'Your in a strange mood son...' Lucas patted him on the back affectionately as they walked, '...Is there somethin' botherin' you, maybe about your cousin?'

Caleb tried to shake off the resentment that had suddenly come over him; however, it was proving difficult. He loved his cousin and should be happy for a new addition to their family with all they had been through, it was hard to establish why he felt such anger about the whole situation.

Lucas read his mind and began to feel uneasy, he had thought the darkness within Caleb originally lashed out as Lucas was buried; however, he was starting the think he had been mistaken and the darkness had sensed Gail's pregnancy, then waited for it's opportunity to strike. Lucas had been attempting to bring the boy to his side since he had disposed of Merlyn, he had not realised that each lesson he had taught him had fed the darkness within the boy and he actually felt a sense of pride.

Lucas would not allow anything to happen this time, he was prepared for all scenarios. He also had no doubt that Gail had come far enough in understanding her own power that she would be able to protect herself, if it came to that. Lucas would not choose one son over the other and Caleb was his original prodigy; therefore, he needed to ensure his boy was alright and at this present time it appeared he was not.

Caleb sensed Lucas prying into his mind and took a step back. 'You're worried I'm gonna hurt her' Caleb stated and watched as a wicked smile formed on his fathers face.

'Son, if you think you'd get near her even in some unnatural state, you'd be wrong...That ol' cousin of yours has more than one protector and I even I couldn't penetrate her boundaries easily' he laughed.

Caleb narrowed his eyes at Lucas, then felt the darkness within him start to subside. 'I don't wanna hurt her...I just feel strange sometimes is all' he said honestly and stared down at his feet.

Lucas shook his head and smiled, he had a lot of work to do with his boy and it was about time he took him fully under his wing. 'Get in the car Caleb, I've got somethin' to show you'

Caleb glanced towards Ben and Billy, then got in the car. The men appeared happy enough together and he was curious as to what Lucas had to show him.

* * *

Gail left Ben's house after going to check on Rita and the baby. Rita had really taken to motherhood and although she looked exhausted, she was clearly happy with Izzy. Gail had never really wanted children, her life was too busy to even consider the thought; however, she was thrown in the deep end when she came to Trinity and had done what she thought was best for Caleb.

Gail got into her car and shook off her thoughts about children, she had no regrets in life and she would not have had this happen any other way. She glanced towards her passenger seat and spotted the book she had found, there was something that intrigued her about it and she could not put her finger on it.

She turned on the Mustang engine and just chose to drive, with no destination in mind. When she had told her Editor Mark that she would keep an eye out for any potential articles, he had forbid her from doing so in her condition; therefore, Gail was more determined than ever to continue working. So far she had not found anything of interest for her to pursue, but she had no doubt she would stumble across something sooner or later if she continued to travel through the town.

Gail drove for approximately 20 minutes, until the came to Goat Town. It suddenly came back to her where she had seen the symbol on the book and she headed towards her desired location. When she pulled up and got out of the car, she stared curiously at the Wicca Store before her. She should probably not be here in her heavily pregnant condition; however, she was not one to back down, so she headed towards the Store.

When Gail opened the door, she was pleasantly surprised by the freshness of the place. She remembered that she had opened the windows on the top floor the last time she had been here and a month of air circulating had done the place the world of good. She disregarded the downstairs main room and headed straight for the first floor, she walked down the long corridor and entered the office through the door she had left open.

Gail took a deep breath in an attempt to control her emotions, she did not know what it was about this place that caused her to react in such a manner; however, she was excited. She walked slowly towards the desk at the far side of the room and sat down in the chair, she took the book out of her bag and placed it onto the desk, then stared at it suspiciously.

The last time she was in here, she had stumbled across Gideon laying on the floor of this room with his head on a book. She had not moved the book; however, it was no longer here and if she was not mistaken, the symbol on the book in her hand matched the symbol on the book Gideon had been guarding. Her curiosity spiked and she opened the book, she felt a cold breeze gust through the room and shrugged off her unease easily. It was about time that she committed to getting some answers about this place and this book was as good a place as any to start.

-To be continued-


	4. Chapter 4

Caleb walked through the forest at the back of Lucas' property, not saying a word. He had never been allowed to stray from the main area of the house and he had been excited when Lucas started leading him through the large garden towards the back of the property.

The Buck Mansion itself was exquisite; however, the garden had a certain charm to it and Caleb could not help but stare in awe. When Lucas led him to the back garden and he saw the large old fountain, he had to take a large intake of breath. He had previously guessed that the garden would be extravagant, but not to this scale. Lucas had caught him staring and had hurried him along, clearly he had a purpose and Caleb did not want to take him away from that, so he had continued to follow without complaint.

It felt like they had been walking forever, but then he caught sight of a clearing between the trees up ahead. The daylight shone bright through the trees, hiding what was beyond that point and Caleb could feel his excitement increase. He rushed forward trying to catch up to Lucas and stopped in his tracks when he reached the clearing. Caleb stared out into the hidden graveyard in awe, he should feel afraid or worried; however, he just felt at home.

Lucas was watching Caleb's reaction carefully, he had decided it was about time to introduce his boy to the family and it appeared by his lack of fear that Caleb was ready for this.

'Who are they?...Why aren't their names on the gravestones?' Caleb asked curiously and approached the first row of graves.

Lucas followed close behind Caleb, to ensure he was coping with what he was seeing. 'Our family has always been private...we never liked anyone snoopin' around trying to dig up dirt on us, so we ensured certain things were kept separate and secret. Besides, you don't need names to identify them son' Lucas smiled.

Caleb glanced towards Lucas confused, then felt a stir within him. He stopped at a grave, then closed his eyes and concentrated hard as he reached down and touched the gravestone. A flash of light surged through his mind and he saw a priest standing tall, when he pulled his fingers away from the gravestone and closed his eyes the imagine was gone. 'Malcolm...' Caleb whispered, '...he was your daddy'

Lucas nodded and let out a relieved breath, his boy was performing well for all their family to see. 'What else?' he asked, pushing Caleb to continue on.

Caleb walked down the second row of graves and stopped at Lucas' mothers. He decided he was not interested in that just yet and continued on, trailing his fingers across the gravestones as he past them. A lot of questions were floating through his mind, but he kept quiet and continued surveying the area. Something malevolent brushed past him and caused him to shiver, he shot a worried glance at Lucas; however, his father just nodded for him to continue on his path.

Caleb felt the darkness within him ready to take over if he got too scared, he shook off that presence inside and continued walking past the rows of graves. When he came to the final row he noticed a gravestone further away from the rest, it was situated in front of the first line of graves and was freestanding. Caleb regarded the grave suspiciously, it was as though it was an independent entity and looked over all of the other graves. There was something different about it and he could not place his finger on it, so he approached the grave cautiously and looked down at it.

Whispers began to surround him, which caused him to close his eyes and take a nervous gulp. He knew Lucas was close and trusted that his father would protect him, so he reached down and gently placed his fingers on the gravestone. A sharp pain surged through his head and a vision of Gail flew through his mind, his instinct was to pull his fingers back and break the connection; however, he forced himself to remain strong and stood his ground. More images flashed through his mind of Gail, as a child holding her mothers hand, as a teenager in Charleston studying in a library, driving in the Mustang past the Trinity line for the first time since her parents death and lastly of an earlier time in strange clothes standing by the Trinity River.

Lucas was watching carefully, allowing Caleb to experience what he required him too. When he saw the pain come across his boys face, he rushed over and pulled his hand away from the gravestone, careful not to touch it himself.

Caleb called out in agony when the connection was severed, then felt the pain in his head subside. He looked at Lucas confused and Lucas pulled him away from the grave. 'What happened?' he asked, upset.

Lucas placed two hands on Caleb's shoulder and regarded him seriously. 'I know what you're feelin', I've felt it every day of my life. It may try to convince you to act in a specific way and turn you against someone who you hold close, but son...believe me when I say if the target is who I think it is, you need to take control. I care for you, you're my first born and you'll always have that advantage. You need to quiet any other thoughts that you may be havin', as I ain't the only player in this neck of the woods anymore' He warned and looked towards the grave with indignation.

Caleb inhaled deeply and followed Lucas' glance. 'Gail...' he started.

'Gail is one of ours and always has been...' Lucas interrupted, '...It's your job to protect her and your younger brother, we have a duty to look after our family regardless of what other emotions we may be feelin''

Caleb nodded to show his understanding. No matter how much he felt bitter towards his cousin or the new addition to their family, he understood it was his responsibility to protect them.

Lucas smiled when he saw the realisation on Caleb's face. 'Now that that's settled, what's say we head to the Pool Hall and have a few games before your sister and cousin start to miss you?'

Caleb smiled and followed Lucas away from the graveyard.

* * *

Merlyn was walking down the street casually, holding a large bag of cleaning products. She had decided to clean out her mothers old place of work and try to make it suitable for her family, in case they decided to visit. She wanted Caleb to spend more time there; however, she could not allow that in it's current state and she was finally going to do something about it.

Merlyn had found a Store a few blocks away which had everything she required, she was on her way back when she spotted the blood red Mustang further down the street and cursed to herself. Merlyn had wanted to spend some time on her own; therefore, she had convinced Abe to allow her to leave work early so she could complete her errand, she had not expected to see Gail in this part of town and sighed as she headed towards the car.

The Mustang was parked at the end of the street, in a secluded. Merlyn instantly recognised the Wicca Store and felt her heart skip a beat, she had managed to forget about this evil place; however, as usual members of her family managed to force her into uncomfortable situations and she clearly had to go in to check on her cousin.

Merlyn approached the building cautiously, she could sense the malevolence here and it caused her unease. Part of her wanted to leave her cousin to whatever stupid thing she was getting herself involved in; however, it was not in her nature to abandon someone who potentially needed help and she knew Gail would be there for her, if she ever truly needed her.

She let out another long sigh and opened the door, upon quick inspection she confirmed there was nothing visible waiting for her in the large room and stepped fully inside. Merlyn was taken aback at how fresh this place smelt, the last time she was here it was musty and covered in dust. Now it appeared the place had been aired out and you could actually breath properly in here.

Merlyn let out a small cry when she heard a noise from upstairs, she stared at the stairs with wide eyes and hoped her cousin had not been fool enough to snoop deeper into this property. 'Gail?' she called, but no answer came.

Another creak from upstairs was heard and she shook her head, if something happened to her in this place she would ensure she came back to haunt ever one of her so called family. Merlyn shrugged off her unease and rushed up the stairs without thinking, she could feel the through breeze up here and spotted the open window. She glanced down the corridor and saw the end of a tail wagging, sticking out of a room. She shook her head again and let out a quiet laugh, then headed towards the open door. Merlyn let out a sigh of relief when discovered Gideon laying by the entrance guarding his Master and spotted Gail sat behind an old large desk.

'You're the last person I thought I'd see snooping around here' Gail said without looking up from the book she was reading.

'And you're the last person I thought would be shacking up in a questionable property, when you're in that condition. I wouldn't have thought this'd be in your best interest' Merlyn said judgmentally.

Gail glanced up from the book disapprovingly, she did not need a child telling her what her best interests were. 'What's in the bag' she asked, changing the subject in an attempt to tame her darkness.

Merlyn stared at Gail suspiciously, the glanced down at her bag. 'I thought my momma's place could use a clean' she shrugged.

Gail smiled and stood up carefully from her seated position. 'Well, it's your place now...It hasn't been your mothers place in a long while'

'I know that Gail...' Merlyn started defensively.

'Do you?...' Gail interrupted, '...I bought that property and signed it over to you months ago. Now albeit I've not been there in a while, I bet it's still in exactly the same condition as it was the last time, with no indication that anyone has been staying there'

Merlyn looked defiantly at Gail. 'You of all people should understand why I wouldn't want to disturb the place my dead momma held so dear. I seem to recall a certain Summer cabin that has not been touched, since Lucas Buck took you there the other year.

Gail narrowed her eyes at Merlyn and shook her head. 'Firstly, don't bring my parents into this. Considering your father is the reason they're dead, you're lucky I've made peace with it all. Secondly, Goat Town is dying, buildings have been left to rot here. Businesses could've thrived here if they hadn't been abandoned and discarded...You had an opportunity to think outside the box, no other young woman your age owns a property and all you can do is mope around in it, holding on to the past'

Merlyn thought for a moment and sighed. 'Isn't that what you're doin' here? I mean, you don't own this place but you're drawn it and all you appear to be doin' is sittin' around'

'Touche...' Gail let out a small laugh and nodded. '...Alright, I wanted a subject matter for an article and I've already reported on the decline of Goat Town...How about we try and turn it around? I'll help you financially and won't interfere with your property plans, providing you help convince other participants to take part in this venture. It's about time we got you socialising properly in the real world anyhow. What do you say?'

Merlyn considered for a moment, she did not have to change everything in her mothers property and it would be fun being fully in control of something. 'I'm in...' she smiled, '...When are we gonna start?'

Gail felt a sharp pain in her stomach, much like the sharp pains she had been experiencing for the last hour. Suddenly she felt a popping sensation and a slow release of liquid running down her leg. 'What the?' she asked startled and brushed Gideon away when he rushed towards her concerned.

Merlyn recognised the sign instantly from when her mother was pregnant. 'Gail, your water broke!' she exclaimed and went to her cousins side.

Gail allowed Merlyn to take hold of her arm and laughed in annoyance. 'Of course it did...' she sighed, '...I suppose our venture is going to have to wait'

Merlyn shook her head at her cousins lack of urgency and started to help her out of the room. 'Come on, we better get you to the hospital' she ordered and reached into her pocket for her mobile telephone.

* * *

Lucas sat on his side porch sipping an ice cold beer, with his son by his side. After they had visited the Pool Hall Caleb wanted to stay here, so he decided to put his feet up for the day and spend some relaxing time with his son.

Lucas thought back to when Caleb had been born, Judith had turned into something he could not forgive and he had to take care of it to ensure the Buck line continued on. Judith had seen the evil in Caleb, just like Gail had with their previous unborn child and she tried to terminate the pregnancy. Lucas had reacted as he always had, he attempted to calm her down and when that did not work he threatened those she held dear.

That had been a hard time for him, he believed he had cared for Judith and he had felt a small ounce of completeness when he lay with her. He thought that was the closest he would ever get to his soul mate, until he lay with Gail. At first he thought his obsession with her was just a desire to lay with an Emory, after all the hell Peter put him through he wanted to get one over on the mans pride and joy. When she finally gave herself over to him willingly, he felt a bond like he had never known before and he knew they were destined to be together.

Apart from her initial instinct to flee, Gail had conducted herself in a way that made him proud. She disregarded the bad she felt in their unborn child and she had accepted his presence around her. The true test for Gail would be when she gives birth, that would be when her true feelings displayed themselves.

Judith had fought his advances and made an enemy of him, she had even threatened to take Caleb down with her if he did not leave her and her family alone. Lucas had snapped in the hospital room when Judith had threatened their baby, he had cared for her and thought she would come around; however, he understood in the moment that she could not be trusted to raise his child.

Judith had already appeared paranoid, telling any nurse who would listen that someone was trying to take Caleb away from her. It was a good job he had his spies in place to warn him before she made any accusations against him, he was a highly regarded pillar of the community and if people found out at that time about their pairing, it would have tarnished his reputation. He could not take that chance and after she threatened to hurt the child, he took it upon himself to fix the situation and did what had to be done. He did not envision the same thing happening with Gail; however, if she reacted in a similar way, he would do what was necessary.

The sound of the telephone ringing caught his ears, it appeared Caleb's senses were starting to form as he heard the ringing also and ran inside to pick up the telephone. Lucas took a long sip of his cold beer and smiled, this was how his life should be and he was happy everything was starting to fall into place.

His smile faded when he sensed urgency in Caleb and turned towards the boy as he rushed out of his house. 'Where's the fire son?' he joked, then regarded the boy curiously when he did not laugh.

'Ben called, we gotta go' Caleb said as though he was in a haze and was struggling to find his words.

Lucas stood up and placed a hand on his shoulder. 'We ain't goin' anywhere son, we just got comfortable'

Caleb shook off the unease that was rising within him and regarded his father seriously. 'We gotta go the hospital now Lucas' he ordered and watched as the realization hit.

Lucas froze for a moment, unable to comprehend what Caleb was saying and then it hit him. This was not right, he thought he had more time to prepare for this; however, the stern tone of his sons order indicated otherwise and it appeared it was time to go.

Caleb watched as Lucas downed his beer and grabbed his coat, then rushed with him to the car. He pushed down the bad thoughts flowing through his mind, his baby brother was going to be with them soon and he had to learn to accept that.

-To be continued-


	5. Chapter 5

Gail sat in a wheelchair in Fulton County General hospital, waiting to be assigned to a room. Merlyn had not known what to do when Gail's water broke and called Matt, who in turn called Rita to fetch them from Goat Town as he did not drive. Rita was more than happy to help and showed up with baby Izzy in the car, she talked through the contractions and reassured Gail that everything would be alright.

When they arrived at the hospital Matt had been waiting outside with a wheelchair, he had ordered Gail to allow him to ensure she was OK and rushed her to his office. She had ordered all of her present company not to call Lucas, the contractions she was experiencing had intensified and she was in a lot pain; therefore, she would not react well to seeing the person who had caused her to be in her current condition.

Matt finally returned to the office with a clipboard, looking stressed. Gail shook her head at her current predicament and attempted to keep her anger in line. 'Is this really necessary?' she asked in irritation.

'You're going into labour Gail so yes, the wheelchair is necessary' Matt regarded her in a professional manner.

'Have you got her a room?' Merlyn asked, trying not to let her worry show.

'I have and we're going to head there now, providing Gail is feeling well enough to be moved' Matt said and glanced towards Gail.

Gail stood up carefully and walked out of the Matt's office, she had break between the contractions and she knew exactly where she wanted to be.

Matt went to grab her arm, but Merlyn pulled him back. 'Give her a minute' she advised, then they both followed Gail down the corridor.

Gail shot Rita a reassuring smile as she passed the reception area and headed straight for her desired location. When she reached the room she sat down on the bed and waited for the others to catch up.

'You've got to be kidding me' Matt said and went to pull his friend up.

'You touch me and I'll scream, I swear...Plus, I don't fancy your chances if one of our sociopathic Sheriffs spies thinks your hurting me' Gail warned.

Matt shook his head and started pacing the room, this is the last place he thought Gail would want to be and did not approve of her choice here.

'Why would you want to be here Gail?' Merlyn asked concerned.

'Can you give us a minute?...' Gail asked Matt and smiled appreciatively when he left the room. '...You're worried I want to be in the room your mother died in?'

Merlyn nodded, 'I'm worried this'll end for you how it did for her'

Gail signaled for Merlyn to sit on the bed next to her, then linked her arm in hers. 'There's a presence in here, do you feel it?'

Merlyn took a deep breath and closed her eyes, she had not noticed with all that was going on; however, there was something here with them. 'What is it?' she asked curiously.

Gail smiled and stroked her arm affectionately. 'There's something familiar about it, maybe it's your dead mother from beyond the grave' Gail joked.

Merlyn shook her head in disgust. 'You can't say that here!' she exclaimed in shock.

Gail laughed and stroked Merlyns head reassuringly, then regarded her seriously. 'Regardless of who or what it is, it appears to make it's presence known whenever I visit this room...If I'm going to be in labour, I might as well do it in a place that intrigues me. It might take my mind off the horrors that I'm about to endure'

Merlyn sighed and looked at her cousin, who was clearly trying to show a strong front. She sensed Gail's discomfort and unease, no matter how much she was trying to hide it and she would be here for her through this hell that Lucas had created. 'Alright, well I'll be here to assist in the horror that's to come so we might as well be in a place that has character' Merlyn forced a laugh.

Gail smiled and patted her arm affectionately. 'That's my girl, now help me to convince our skeptical Doctor to come around to our way of thinking' she laughed and signaled for Matt to come back in.

* * *

Rita paced outside of the hospital room, with a sleeping Izzy in her arms. She had not gotten the courage to go inside and see Gail, as she had gone behind her back and told Ben to inform Lucas of her current state. She had not wanted to behave in such an underhanded manner; however, she felt Gail was being unreasonable. She would need her man with her to help see her through this and Rita truly believed she had done the right thing.

It had been an hour since Gail had chosen to take the room Judith Temple had killed herself in, which was odd. If that was not strange enough, half an hour later she had screamed at Matt to get out and find her a competent female Doctor. Now Matt stood over the Nurses station searching through the shift book, to see who was working tonight.

Rita gathered that Gail's contractions had gotten worse and felt for her friend. She had been totally prepared for her labour and it still caused her unspeakable agony. As she remembered the uncomfortable pain she had been in, she spotted Lucas and let out a relieved sigh.

Lucas approached Rita with Ben and Caleb in tow. Just before he barged into the room, Matt rushed over and grabbed his arm. 'Unless you wanna be nursing a broken hand Harvard, I'd remove that from it's current position' Lucas warned and glanced at his arm.

Matt removed his hand from Lucas' arm and stood tall. 'Unless you want an object launched at you, I'd rethink your current destination' Matt retorted and walked back to the Nurses station.

Lucas watched him leave, then turned to Rita confused. 'What's he talkin' about?'

Rita inhaled deeply and forced a reassuring smile. 'She ain't in the best of moods...understandably' she explained.

Lucas shrugged, not seeing the problem. 'She'll be fine, I'll just get in there and calm her down'

'Good luck with that' Matt laughed from behind the Nurses desk.

Lucas narrowed his eyes at the man, then entered the hospital room. It was surprising to him that she would choose to have their baby in this specific room; however, he trusted her judgement. As he entered the room he caught sight of Gail laying on the bed taking deep breaths, with Merlyn holding her hand. When he moved closer, he felt his boots stick to the floor and he looked at Merlyn confused.

'I don't know what your gawking at her for...if you come any closer I'll break something you may want to get use out of in the future' Gail warned, after exhaling.

Merlyn smirked as she held her cousins hand tight. She liked this side of Gail, it was as though she saw straight through his fake caring facade and it reminded her of why she respected her.

Lucas went to take another step and felt his blood begin to boil, they were not alone in here and the presence that surrounded him was not Gail's usual darkness.

'What's wrong Sheriff? Havin' a little trouble with your footing?' Merlyn asked sweetly.

Lucas tried to hold back his rage, given the circumstances. The birth of his second son was going to be perfect, a second child did not happen in his family line and he would not let anything spoil this. 'Call off your guard Darlin', I really don't wanna have to pull rank when you're in this delicate position'

Gail lifted her head off the pillow and shook it in disbelief. 'You're going to pull rank, really? Get out of here now, before I really lose my temper...You don't wanna piss me off when I'm in this delicate position' she said sarcastically.

Lucas watched her for a moment, trying to figure out the best play here. He sensed her pain and went to release his twin to end the hold on him, so he could be by her side.

'Get out!' Gail yelled in agony and closed her eyes.

Suddenly Lucas was thrown back at the door and hit it hard with a loud thud.

Merlyn squeezed Gail's hand, to reassure her that she was still here with her and wiped her cousins forehead with a damp cloth. 'He's leavin', just relax and concentrate on your breathin'' she ordered, then started to inhale and exhale deeply with her cousin.

Lucas stared in disbelief, as he watched Merlyn taking on the role he should be and decided to leave the room. When he closed the door and regarded the party in the corridor, he shot a look of warning at Matt who was staring at him smugly with his arms folded.

'I tried to warn you...She wants no men in that room at all, that includes you Sheriff' he smiled.

Lucas shook his head in exasperation and ran his hand through his hair. 'How do you expect to deliver our baby if you're scared of prodding the hornets nest?' Lucas asked and tried to hide his anger.

Matt shrugged and let out a long sigh. 'She wants a female Doctor, but there's none on shift. We could call in Doctor Hill, but I'm not convinced Gail will be any more welcoming or trusting to a stranger'

Rita handed Izzy to Ben and rolled up her sleeves. 'Is that her chart?' she asked Matt and held out her hand.

Matt regarded Rita suspiciously but handed her the chart. 'You're not qualified for this Rita' he said apologetically.

Rita laughed and shook her head. 'I'll pretend I never heard that' she said and entered the room with Gail and Merlyn.

Lucas looked at Ben confused, who just shrugged, then glanced at Matt. 'If anythin' goes wrong here, I'm holdin' you personally responsible' he warned and stormed off down the corridor.

Matt looked from Ben to Caleb, then turned around and headed towards his office angrily.

'Well that was tense' Ben said, as he rocked Izzy in his arms.

'At least you don't have to live with them' Caleb laughed, then went to find Lucas.

* * *

24 Hours had passed and Gail was still in labour. Ben had returned home to tend to Izzy and Lucas had sent Caleb to the Boarding House with Matt, while he waited here for any sign of his newborn boy. Gail's contractions had become unbearable and it was taking all of his self control not to rush into the room whenever he heard her scream out in pain.

Judith's pregnancy had been known as the longest most difficult pregnancy this hospital had ever seen, it appeared Gail had broken that record and was still going. Lucas did not like sitting here powerless; however, he sensed if he entered the room it would make the matter worse and Gail would unleash her darkness fully. He could not risk Gail doing that in front of Rita, as he had no idea what damage would be caused or to who. This left Lucas in an unnatural place where he had to just sit back and wait for something to happen. It was unusual to him to have to trust Merlyn to take care of his love, but this is what Gail wanted and he would have to respect that no matter how much it bothered him.

Gail's screams pierced through his brain and he rested his head in his hands to try to drown it out. He felt a hand on his shoulder and looked up to see Caleb looking at him concerned. 'I thought I told you to stay with Miss Holt until this was over' Lucas said and just stared at the closed door in front of him.

Caleb had never seen Lucas in such a vulnerable way and did not know what to do. Without thinking he hugged his father and did not let go.

Lucas felt Caleb's arms close around him and was taken by surprise, his frustration lessened and he placed his arms around his boy then pulled him close. 'Do I look that bad?' he whispered.

'Well I didn't wanna say' Caleb laughed and they released each other.

Lucas sat back in the chair and continued to stare at the closed door of the hospital room Gail was currently in.

Caleb watched his father carefully and then sat back in the chair beside him. 'I bet he's so comfy inside Gail that he doesn't wanna come out yet' he pondered.

Lucas thought back to how comfortable his manhood fit inside of her and how he never wanted to pull out, then smiled. 'You might've hit the nail on the head son' he laughed tiredly.

'What are ya doin' out here boy?' Abe asked, as he slowly approached.

Lucas looked from his old friend to Caleb, who nodded to indicate he had brought him, then stood up to meet Abe. 'I'm followin' your Rosie's wishes ol' man' he sighed.

Abe laughed and shook his head. 'You believe she can think clearly in her current condition?...Use your head boy and get in there' he ordered and sat next to Caleb.

Lucas nodded, then stormed into the room and left them outside. 'Get out' he ordered Merlyn, then ripped Gail's hand from hers and took hold of it.

Gail stared at Lucas in disbelief, with her sweat soaked hair sticking to her cheeks. 'Are you kidding me? I told you to leave me alone!' she snapped, then let out an agonizing yell as she tried to push.

Lucas knelt down on the floor and allowed her to squeeze his hand hard, in an attempt to allieviate some of the pain. 'I won't tell you again Merlyn Ann...go join your brother, I got this' he said, as he stroked the hair away from Gail's face.

Merlyn had been up all night and was exhausted, so she had no fight left in her to deny Lucas' order. She could see Gail had not released her darkness; therefore, she chose to leave them be for a moment and go find her brother.

The contractions were coming quickly now and Gail did not have the strength to fight Lucas. She allowed him to hold her hand and pushed with all her might when Rita told her to. This seemed to continue forever and when she felt like she had no more push left in her, she heard the sound of a crying baby and Rita laughing.

Gail felt the pressure release from her body and lay back on the bed. She took deep breaths to calm her heart rate and get some much needed air into her lungs.

'You did it love' Lucas whispered in her ear and rested his head on hers.

Gail smiled and her head fell back on the pillow. She had started to believe the baby would never come out, but here he was. She did not have the energy to turn towards him; however, his cries indicated he was alright.

Suddenly she felt liquid running out of her and her breathing became strained. She was finding it hard keeping her eyes open; therefore, she finally gave in and drifted off. The last thing she heard was Rita's urgent screams to Matt, informing him that she could not stop the blood gushing out of her and Lucas calling her name over and over, as he shook her hard in an attempt to wake her up.

-The End-


End file.
